Kal Tire has announced a new partnership with Haltec Group, making its innovative KalPRO tooling available worldwide. KalPRO, a sub-brand of Kal Tire, offers a range of tools designed to enhance safety, efficiency, and productivity for technicians in the mining tyre industry.
New Partnership for Expansion
The partnership will allow KalPRO tools to be distributed globally through Haltec and its subsidiary AME International, a leading manufacturer and distributor of tyre service tools.
For nearly a decade, Kal Tire’s Innovation Centre in British Columbia, Canada, has been developing proprietary tools to improve safety and reduce strain for its mining tyre technicians. The KalPRO range includes tools that help minimise technician fatigue, reduce risk, and increase efficiency. Until now, these tools have been exclusively used by Kal Tire teams, but growing interest has made them available to the wider industry.
Dan Allan, Senior Vice President of Kal Tire’s Mining Tire Group, highlighted the company’s commitment to innovation: “We believe it’s our responsibility to make our work around the wheel as safe as possible, so we’ve focused on reinvesting in our teams, the tools they use and the way they work. Our KalPRO tools go a long way in protecting technicians, and we saw this partnership with Haltec and AME as a valuable way to bring those benefits to the entire industry.”
The first product to be offered through Haltec’s AME International catalogue will be the KalPRO ValveShield, a magnetic valve housing designed to prevent debris from damaging valve stems and causing tyre failures. The ValveShield has proven its effectiveness on mining sites, delivering substantial productivity improvements. It will be showcased at MINExpo 2024 in Las Vegas, where Kal Tire, Haltec, and AME will have booths displaying the product.
President of AME International, Keith Jarman welcomed the partnership: “This represents an ideal partnership. Some of the best ideas come from people looking for a better way to achieve a result. Kal Tire changes nearly every sized tire that is made and can field test in several environments. Haltec and AME’s global distribution network can help deliver these innovations to the industry effectively, improving efficiencies and safety.”
In addition to the ValveShield, Kal Tire will display its WheelJaws tool at MINExpo 2024. WheelJaws features remote-controlled clamps to protect technicians during the removal of tyre and wheel assemblies, one of the riskiest stages of the process. Other KalPRO tools developed by Kal Tire include the Gravity Assist Tooling Rig (GATR) for weightless handling of heavy equipment, RamDrive for safer bead breaking, and SpringLock for secure lock ring installation and removal.
Allan commented: “Our relationship with Haltec spans decades of collaboration and mutual trust. We look forward to adding more of our KalPRO tools to the Haltec and AME catalogue in months to come.”
